Winters Bite
by HimmelRomance
Summary: Each animal knew the aim of the game – win her heart to have your wish granted. Things were going to plan up until November where a small, female rabbit joined the family. Rated M for safety. Jihae x OC
1. Introduction

**Hello everyone! This is just a quick authors notes page to explain this story.**

This story will be based off the game 'Dandelion - Wishes brought to you'. It will be an 'OC x Jihae' story - it will contain spoilers from the game (mostly about his past rather than the gameplay story line itself) but if you haven't played through his story line then please do so before reading. I have only played through the 'Jihae' and 'Jisoo' story lines so if the other characters seem slightly odd its because I'm writing them based on my 'first impressions' on them.

I did briefly look up stories based on this game but there was hardly anything on it which surprised me. I really have no idea how popular this game is and I don't know how many people are interested in reading these kinds of stories so the first chapter is mostly a test/teaser. If there is no interest in it then I wont continue to work on this however if there is some interest then I will continue it as a small story.


	2. Chapter One

**Winters Bite.**

_Each animal knew the aim of the game – win her heart to have your wish granted. Things were going to plan up until November where a small, female rabbit joined the family._

It had been quite some time since Heejung had last visited the park; it was back when Jisoo was a cat cheekily looking up at her. It had just turned November; the snow had been falling for days and the slowly falling sun was losing it warmth. Heejung was out with Jisoo today, the pair of them happily walking side by side talking to one another. She couldn't help but smile, feeling at peace walking alongside the tall, handsome man. She couldn't deny that he looked better in his human form than his cat form but she didn't dare say this aloud. Her life had completely changed since the summer, the five pets left in a basket for her all having an impact on her. For the better or the worse she could not tell.

"Quiet" Jisoo commanded, halting in his long stride. He looked around, his eyes turning into slits as he threatening glared at a bush several feet away.  
>"What is it?" Heejung asked in confusion but Jisoo ignored her, approaching the bush with light, careful steps. Jisoo growled under his breath, as if disgusted by his finding, but it was soon cut off by his very own gasp. Heejung instantly ran over to him as he flung himself into the bush, only his waist downwards visible to her. She frowned when he suddenly became very still, slowly backing himself out of the bush. Jisoo turned to face Heejung, stretching his hands out to show her what he had found. Heejung loudly gasped, her honey eyes going wide in shock and horror.<p>

In the palm of his hands was a small rabbit, its body shaking and its eyes tightly clenched shut. It was as black as night, the same colour as Jisoo if he was a cat now, but the little thing was covered in blood.  
>"She has a broken rib, wounds to her stomach and her hind left leg is… well mostly gone. She's been out in the snow for a good few hours, probably throughout the night" Jisoo informed Heejung as he inspected the rabbit, wrapping the little thing in his clothes to try and warm it up.<br>"H..how do you know that?" Heejung asked in confusion.  
>"Cats have sharp eyes and senses" Jisoo replied with a victorious grin.<br>"We need to take her to the vets then, it's not far from here" Heejung spoke, panic now evident in her voice.  
>"No" Jisoo blankly said, his eyes looking down at the rabbit.<br>"No? What on earth do you mean?! That poor thing is suffering, you can't just say no because you dislike rabbits-" Heejung argued but Jisoo silenced her with an enraged look.  
>"She can't be vetted… she is one of us, someone like me. We're taking her home Foodgiver" Jisoo told her and without another word he walked on, his strides long and powerful. Heejung couldn't help but trot after him, she really didn't need another person in the house but it looked like she had no say in this situation.<p>

All eyes were on them when they got home, heading straight to the bathroom. Everyone besides Jieun followed after the pair, curious to what Jisoo was carrying and why they smelt blood.  
>"Jiyeon get a clean towel, Jihae get the first aid box from under the sink in the kitchen. Foodgiver we need to clean her up and get her warm as soon as possible, her body is slowly breaking down" Jisoo ordered, heading straight to the sink and turning the warm water on.<br>"What's going on?" Jiwoo asked, pushing pass Heejung to look at the situation but as soon as he saw what was going on he turned pale. By this time Jiyeon and Jihae had returned with the required items, the pair of them looking over Heejung's shoulder and down at the black rabbit that Jisoo was attempting to clean.  
>"Oh wow, where did you find her?" Jiyeon asked and Jisoo sighed, trying to explain the story as the black rabbit wriggled in his grasp. It was clear that Jisoo was no good at this, the rabbit was not making it easy for him either, and his frustration was only increasing.<br>"Let me" Jihae softly said, holding his hands out to take the burden from him. Jisoo seemed offended by this but instead of arguing with him he carefully handed her over, stepped out of the way for him to take his place.  
>"Foodgiver we should make dinner, let this rabbit do his thing" Jisoo said and before Heejung could express her worries she was dragged out of the bathroom. Jiyeon, knowing he was useless just standing with the rabbits, also left the room. Jiwoo took this time approach the sink again to look down at the rabbit, feeling slightly more comfortable with Jihae being the only other one in the room.<br>"Do you recognise her?" Jihae asked, surprised by his interest in the black rabbit. He was thankful that Jieun was still in the living room, uninterested in the events taking place in the bathroom. Jiwoo was silent for a minute, watching Jihae carefully wash her even as she weakly struggled against him.  
>"No" he simply replied as Jihae moved onto her leg. Jiwoo turned his back to them quickly and left the room in a hurry. Jihae glanced over his shoulder as he watched him leave, frowning at his sudden reaction. He shrugged, deciding that Jiwoo was not accustom to the sight of blood let alone the sight of half a leg.<br>"Well…" Jihae sighed, gently washing her wounds.  
>"Let's see what we can do for you little one" Jihae continued on.<p>

Forty minutes had slowly passed and Jihae left the bathroom, a towel wrapped around the female rabbit in his arms.  
>"How is she?" Heejung asked, leaping out of the chair at the dining table. Jihae tiredly sighed, looking in her direction.<br>"I cannot say for sure My Lady, I have done the best I can to ease her pain but tonight will be a hard night for her" Jihae honestly replied with a forced half smile. Jiwoo, Jisoo and Heejung seemed uneasy from his words but did not speak. They watched as he walked over to the living room, sitting himself next to Jieun on the couch. Jihae did not question where Jiyeon had gone to, he barely cared, all he could do was look down at the small animal wrapped in the towel with a strained expression. The three of them had joined them on the couch once they had finished eating; Heejung had tried to get Jihae to eat something but he politely declined. It was some time later when Heejung decided to go to bed, later than usual Jihae noted, but once she disappeared into her bedroom for the night the others seemed to leave the room too. Jieun left for the kitchen while Jiwoo left the house; Jisoo seemed to be the only one who lingered for a moment or two before following Jiwoo out the door. Jihae wasn't surprised he was left alone now; he doubted anyone would want to babysit the mysterious animal throughout the night. He didn't mind though, he was fine staying up to keep an eye on her.

It was the early hours of the morning. Jihae had managed to check her bandages and swap her into a blanket to ensure she warmed up. He was relieved that she was still alive, her eyes not as harshly clenched and her body less shaky. He knew she hadn't slept at all though, her breathing was harsh and she had constantly been fidgeting the whole time. Jihae had tried to sooth the troublesome thing with gentle, soft strokes but the attempt only seemed to make her worse. He had resulted to softly whispering to her, his voice seeming a good choice as she slowly settled down. Jihae had lost concentration though, his thoughts elsewhere as he grew silent. The only thing that broke the silence was the noise of the television that quietly played in the room. Jihae snapped back to reality when he heard the black rabbit harshly inhale, its body falling still. Out of panic Jihae looked down at her, his heart loudly beating as he was met with soft, ocean blue eyes.

She stared up at his face, her ears lifted up towards him for the first time. Jihae masked his emotions quickly, he had been stared at for all of his life and for the most part the looks were not kind. Either way Jihae couldn't help but sigh in relief, he was worried she would not survive the night. He didn't know what to say to her, all he could do was look down at her until words came to mind.  
>"You should rest, you must be exhausted" he quietly told her and the rabbits ears instantly dropped, as if afraid to do such a thing. Jihae went to move his hand towards the blanket to pull it more away from her mouth but at the movement she flinched making him pause for a moment. He held his hand there, the flinching rabbit relaxing again when she noticed no harm came to her. Slowly Jihae moved the blanket in a better position for her, retreating his hand away from her once he was done.<br>"You are safe here My Lady, no harm will come to you" Jihae continued on after watching her reaction. The female rabbit did not speak but merely relaxed in his arms, her eyes softening. She remained awake though, her eyes analysing him carefully. Although her eyes bothered him in more than one way Jihae couldn't help but become curious. She did not look up at him in disgust or anger, not even when her eyes lingered on his long silver hair, instead she looked up at him in wonder. A low sigh escaped her lips though, her eyes slowly closing against her will. Jihae weakly smiled down at her, he hoped she would sleep well. He turned his eyes towards the television, thankful that she had stopped fidgeting for now.


	3. Chapter Two

"Morning Jisoo, morning Jihae!" Heejung merrily chimed as she left her bedroom the next day, a smile on her lips. She held in a laugh as Jihae leapt out of his skin at the sound of her voice, looking around in a blind panic. Jisoo was not so kind at his reaction, he loudly laughed with a cattish smirk.  
>"I saw you asleep when coming back home, decided to take your little patient out of your hands so you didn't end up squishing her" Jisoo spoke, his smirk still on his face. Jihae, although offended, nodded in gratitude in a polite manner. Heejung watched the exchanged between them, thankful that they didn't start arguing again.<br>"How is she?" Heejung quickly asked, hoping to break any tension that might appear between them. At this the cat sighed, his smirk leaving his face as he worriedly frowned.  
>"She was asleep when I took her off the rabbit but she woke soon after. She is extremely restless, even as we speak" Jisoo honestly said, looking down at her for a moment with a mixed expression. Heejung couldn't quite read his expression; it was as if he wanted to hate the newcomer but found it hard to.<br>"Her wounds look good though, I couldn't find any infections when changing her bandages" Jisoo continued, recovering his thoughts as he looked up at the Foodgiver. Jihae sleepily shook his head as he stood, biting his tongue to prevent him from talking. He doubted Jisoo could bandage well, it was probably as bad as his cooking, but Jihae had no strength to argue with him this morning. He wandered over to the sink, washing his hands as he made way to start preparing breakfast.  
>"Jihae I can do that, you should go and rest" Heejung spoke after watching his actions. The tall, elegant rabbit paused in his movements for a moment.<br>"It is fine My Lady" Jihae politely said and Heejung decided not to push him on the matter.  
>"Has she spoken at all?" Heejung asked in curiosity, glancing at the two males as she prepared the meat for cooking. Jihae glanced to his left, noticing what she was preparing to make. It was clear to everyone that Heejung's favourite animal was clearly Jisoo; they had been spending so much time together that the others hadn't had chance to try and win her over. By this point Jihae had given up on her, it was clear she wasn't the slightest bit interested in him… he was not surprised.<br>"She hasn't opened her eyes let alone spoken" Jisoo voice spoke dragging Jihae out of his thoughts.  
>"She opened her eyes for a moment in the early hours of the morning" Jihae slowly said when Heejung fixed her attention on him. Heejung hummed to herself, as if wanting to ask another question, but she decided to keep quite as she continued doing what she was doing.<p>

Heejung always found it strange how the animals knew when it was time for food; they always mysteriously appeared as she put it onto the plate. For once they were quiet at the table, none moaning about the lack of something or the other. She sighed to herself, looking over at the couch where the black rabbit was left alone while everyone ate.  
>"Winter" she said aloud making everyone pause in their eating.<br>"What?" Jisoo blankly replied, a piece of bacon still on his fork.  
>"We should call her Winter. It's the time of year after all" Heejung explained, turning her focus back onto her food. Jiwoo stifled a laugh, shaking his head.<br>"What is such a stupid name Owner, no surprise judging by your lack of intelligence" Jiwoo told her, his nose turned up in arrogance. Jisoo's eyes snapped in his direction his ears pinning back at his rudeness. Heejung on the other hand shrugged the comment off, finishing the last bite of her food.  
>"Well she's got to be named something until she tells us what her name is" Heejung retorted with furrowed eyebrows.<br>"I should make her something to eat" she added onto it, standing up from her chair as she changed the subject. They watched her move back to the counter and start chopping up some carrots.  
>"You should make it fluid, stupid Owner knows nothing about sick rabbits" Jiwoo said in annoyance when watching her pick up the chunks of carrots. Heejung paused for a moment, her eyes catching onto her watch.<br>"Oh god I'm late for school!" she suddenly cried out, her hands flying to her head as if trying to calm herself down. At those words Jihae stood, taking he chunks on the counter.  
>"Allow me" he kindly said and all besides Heejung heard the low growl escape Jisoo's lips. Heejung smiled at him, thankful that he would be generous enough to do it. She turned and ran to her bedroom, reappearing a moment later with a large bag before leaving the house.<p>

By the time Jihae figured out how to use the blender and found a small enough spoon suitable for the task the house was empty, even Jieun had left the house much to his worry. Jihae wasn't all that surprised though; since Heejung started to take a liking to Jisoo everyone decided to simply leave the house as much as possible and stand on their own feet. Even Jihae had done so by signing up with a modelling contract to start getting some income. With a sigh he took a seat on the couch, putting the small pot of blended carrots on the coffee table. Carefully Jihae picked up the small bundle of blankets, finding the black rabbit sinking into it as if trying to hide.  
>"It is only me little one, I've made you some food" Jihae softly told her and at the sound of his voice she became still, opening her eyes to gaze up at him. Her gaze made Jihae's heart leap, there was so much vulnerability but softness in them he couldn't help but wonder who she was and what had happened to her. Her ears had also risen, intently listening to him as he spoke while feeding her.<br>"Heejung plans to call you Winter" Jihae politely said, trying to start a conversation with her. Winter frowned at this, her face scrunched up but it softened again. Jihae waited for her to speak in reply but she did not, instead she awkwardly looked up with him with an apologetic expression. She wriggled in his arms, the blanket loosening around her. Jihae relaxed his grasp, hoping he hadn't caused her distress from his question. He thought she would try leaping from his arms, falling to the floor but she did not, instead she pushed the blanket down with her two front paws, displaying the bandage around her stomach. With a meaningful look she glanced down at it then back at him several times.  
>"Ah…" Jihae mumbled, realising what she was trying to point out. She didn't speak because she didn't want to, it was more for the fact that she was in a lot of pain and it would only worsen if she irritated the areas where her wounds were. Winters expression softened once more, her eyes widening slightly as a strand of his hair fell close to the blanket around her. Before Jihae could express his dislike towards his hair colour or even pull it away Winter had grasped onto it with her front paws, moving it in such a way that the sunlight beaming through the balcony doors made his silver hair glisten. Winter inspected the colour and Jihae was surprised to see no look of disgust on her face, instead it looked as if she was curious. It was no lie that his hair was unique, it was the very reason why he hated it, and every rabbit should know its reasoning behind it. However it seemed that she did not, did she not come from the land of Grass? Jihae paused his thoughts as he realised Winter was now staring at him intently, as if trying to read his expressions with those eyes of hers. As if unsettled by this Jihae carefully grabbed another spoonful of blended carrots, Winter now releasing his hair from her grasp. Jihae helped her eat in silence, Winter glancing up at him every now and again.<p>

Once that was done Jihae carried her to the bathroom; he wanted to sort out her bandages since he knew that damn cat Jisoo had done them. He didn't look surprised when he realised the bandages were poorly put on but he was secretly thankful the cat had put the attempt in to sort her out. He doubted it had been long, maybe a few hours since he had done them but the leg wound had bled through already. He was thankful she was easier to tend to today than she was yesterday, he wondered if she had behaved for Jisoo too but judging at her constant flinching he doubted it. Quick movements set her off, at times she flinched away from them and other times she matched the movements with her paws, stopping his hands from reaching their destination. Every time this happened they both gave apologetic expressions; Jihae for setting her off and Winter for reacting in such a way.

Jihae sighed in relief once he was done and back on the couch again, Winter was set next to him in a new blanket. With it being November it was rather chilly, even inside a cosy home such as this one. Jihae was tired, he had worked for long hours yesterday modelling and had maybe one or two hours sleep a few hours ago. Worst part about it he had work tomorrow as well in the morning. He was tempted to cancel it, tell them he was unable to do it, but he knew he had to get out the house and do it to keep his minds off things. He sighed again, looking down at the black rabbit by his side who looked up at the television with a tilted head. While she was distracted Jihae decided to transform into his rabbit form, knowing it was the polite thing to do when sleeping here. At the movement Winters attention was directly on him, her ears pointed at him and her eyes analysing him. She watched his ears drop and his head turn away; it was as if he was embarrassed at being watched. Jihae shivered as he curled himself up, it was colder than he imagined and he was way too tired to transform, get up and crank up the heating. He closed his eyes, his back partially turned towards Winter as he tried to catch up on his sleep.


	4. Chapter Three

It was surprising how fast two weeks could pass by; even Winter couldn't believe it as she sat on the couch thinking about it. It had come to a point where she only had to wear a bandage around her left hind leg, her stomach was healed up for the most part. She had somewhat become comfortable staying here, even if the human Heejung had tried to fuss her countless times. She knew Heejung was trying to be friendly though, she was the same with the others whenever they were around. Winter had frowned at this though, wondering how five animals ended up here… her thoughts became even more muddled up when she noticed the glances between them all. Winter didn't know how long they had all lived together but it was obvious Heejung was blind to it all, blind to the glances they shared at each other and the looks of jealousy in Jisoo's direction. Winter was a smart rabbit; she knew a few days living here that they were all after the human. The problem was why… why were they all interested in her? The most confusing thing about it was all the animals had different personalities; it just didn't make sense to her.

She had spent most of her time alongside Jihae; he had been the one looking after her. She enjoyed the silver rabbits company; he was well spoken, polite and calm. There was something about him that made her feel safe, something she hadn't felt for many years. She was still uneasy though, she wasn't sure if he or any of the others would be so accepting to her stay when they see who she is, what she is. Surprisingly when Jihae was out working Jiwoo was the one sitting nearby, never communicating with her but always reading with a concentrated expression. Winter had respected his space, only interacting with him once when she accidently fell off the couch when she was having a nightmare. She shivered at the thought, embarrassed and ashamed of him witnessing it. Jiwoo was not bitter nor did he insult her, instead a look of concern fell on his features as he helped her up. She had dared to take a look at his books a few times, seemed to all include Romance, but she did no more than that.

She was surprised that Jieun approached her today, a smile on his face as he held some sort of basket. She had been in his company a few times seeing as he was often around Jihae, he had even tried to pet her on occasion but Jihae had softly told him it was wise to leave me be.  
>"I'm going to see Eddie, want to come?" Jieun boldly said, his smile never leaving his face. Winter knew who he was on about, Jieun often called Jihae by the name Eddie. It often made her wonder what his true name was. Winter, not having the chance to leave the house since arriving here, nodded her head eagerly. She wanted to see the outside world and enjoy the fresh air, even with it still being cold outside. Jieun happily grinned, setting the basket next to her. She awkwardly scrambled into the basket, Jieun being kind enough to help her in and place the blanket on her. Winter knew Jieun visited Jihae a lot while he was working, they had probably planned it, but she hoped her presence wouldn't be an issue. She actually didn't mind Jieun's company, he was quiet and reserved. A huge dreamer too which often left him in a daze. Either way Winter was thankful for this opportunity and looked forward to it.<p>

Winter sighed in content as they left the house, the feeling of the morning sun on her face and the soft breeze refreshing. She was used to the cold; she was the type of animal who never stayed home. At the thought of home her eyes narrowed, a distasteful expression written over her face. Even though she had suffered great pain to get where she was today she was thankful, it was worth it in her eyes. She wanted to start anew, even if it was in this world rather than her own. She could deal with hiding her appearance, she had done it most of her life, but falling in the hands of animals worried her. They would recognise her, that much was certain, but what would they do afterwards? She dared to think.  
>"We're here" Jieun's voice spoke pulling Winter away from her thoughts. She looked up at the tall building in front on her; just how long had she been lost in her thoughts? They were in a middle of a large city, people walking around with their own small missions and lives. A group of teenage girls were currently looking in their direction, giggling behind their held up hands as their eyes looked Jieun up and down. Winter frowned at Jieun's lack of notice, it was as if he had one mission in mind and had become narrow sighted. He walked into the building with long strides, his back straight and his head held high. He never spoke, he didn't need to it seemed, and the smartly dressed woman with slanted glasses allowed him pass into a room. Clicking of photo's being snapped entered Winters ears as they went in the room, her eyes becoming wide as her eyes fell on Jihae. He was in the middle of a photo shoot, his expression fixed as he gazed into the lens of the camera. He was smartly dressed; black shirt, red tie and a long white jacket with black trousers. The lighting was perfectly set onto him; there was truly no fault to his appearance. She frowned for a moment, remembering something but she shook those thoughts away – no matter who they were she would never judge someone by their looks, not like the others… Winter was captivated; it was no surprise he was accepted for this job.<br>"Eddie!" Jieun called out and Jihae's concentration immediately dropped, turning to face us both. A small smile fell on his face but he looked surprised when he spotted Winter. He stood, signalling the cameraman to pause as he walked over.  
>"We're done here, we have enough good shots" the cameraman voiced, his expression bright when he realised who had come. He greeted Jieun before turning his eyes to the basket.<br>"Oh a rabbit, looks pretty cute too" he continued on as he stood and walked over, peering into the basket. Winter looked up at him, her ears dropping. Winter was thankful he didn't try to touch her; he simply gazed at her with an interested look.  
>"Say she'd probably look good in front of a camera too. Not as attractive as the silver rabbit I saw once but she has a cute little face on her" he voiced, a grin on his face. Jihae shook his head, dismissing his thoughts.<br>"Anyway I'll catch you tomorrow!" he finished off, grinning once more at Winter before leaving. Winter kept her eyes on him as he left; only turning her attention away from him when a shadow fell over her body.

Jihae looked exhausted; he had been working overtime for the past few weeks and having to look after Winter made him work even harder. Winters ears pricked up again as she looked up at him, her expression soft and warm. Jihae's smile didn't leave, even when he looked down at Winter.  
>"It is good to see you out My Lady" he greeted, his voice silky smooth. Winters ears fell slightly, the sound of his voice soothing. He glanced towards Jieun, as if silently communicating with him and his smile left as Jieun handed the basket over. Winter was confused, why was he leaving already without even saying a word? Winter quickly glanced between them then focused on Jihae as Jieun left the room.<br>"Worry not" Jihae murmured, looking back at Winter.  
>"He has plans apparently" Jihae explain and Winter tilted her head. She was unsure how true that was but she didn't dare question it, she still hadn't spoken. Jihae smile again, standing tall as he strode out the door carrying the basket.<p>

Winter wasn't sure where they were heading, she wasn't even sure if they were heading in the same direction to where Heejung's house was. Although Jihae ignored it Winter was certain he heard the comments people made as he walked through the city.  
>"Oh it's that model from the magazine" one man said,<br>"He looks even better than he does in the photos!" a woman dreamingly said,  
>"He'll be my man, just you wait girls! I'm picture perfect for him" a teenage girl squealed. The comments continued on and Winter gave up trying to find out who said what, instead her attention was fixed on Jihae. He tried to hide his feelings towards these comments but Winter could read his eyes, any comment based on his appearance bothered him greatly. She knew why though, she knew more about the lives of others than she knew of her own…<p> 


	5. Chapter Four

The comments slowly got quieter and quieter, the pitter-patter of footsteps lost behind them as the world around them change from the city into the more relaxed parts of the world. They entered a spacious area with trees and benches, the frozen pond in the distance noting Winter of where they were. They were at the park where Jisoo had found her, the thought bringing a shiver to her body. Jihae pushed the snow off of one of the benches, taking a seat and putting the basket to his right side.  
>"It would be unfair to simply go straight home My Lady, you have not been able to come out at all" Jihae quietly said, his body relaxing down as he realised no one else was around. Winters ears flopped down, taking in the scenery as memories plagued her mind. They both sat in silence for a moment, Jihae looking off into the distance while Winter fixed her gaze onto one of the bushes. She closed her eyes for a moment, finding her courage.<br>"That's where he found me" a timid, small voice spoke and Jihae almost jumped out of his seat from it. He turned his head to look down at Winter who had, unknown to her, moved herself to the edge of her basket to peer at the bush.  
>"It was a miracle he had; I was so weak I could barely call out for help. I still don't know how I manage to realise he was an animal just from his smell…" Winter continued on, closing her eyes once again to recollect her thoughts. She paused for a moment, opening her eyes to look up at Jihae.<br>"I am very fortunate; I will forever be in the debt of you all for the kindness I have received" she slowly said, her ears still down. Jihae was surprised and also warmed by her words. Jihae sadly smiled, he was unsure of how fortunate she was but it saved her life, he would not complain.  
>"I am glad" he breathed, placing a hand near her. Winter noticed the movement and for once she didn't flinch, instead she moved close to it allowing Jihae to place his hand onto her. They fell into silence again; they both had questions for one another but none of them knew where to start.<br>"How long were you there for?" Jihae asked after a minute, his tone low and careful. Winter sighed aloud, her body slightly tense.  
>"Since 9pm the day before I think" she responded, glancing away from him for a moment.<br>"How…" Jihae began but paused when Winter fixed her eyes back on him.  
>"How did I end up here? The tale is long and… not too pleasant. What about you?" Winter responded. It was now Jihae's turn to look away, shaking his head as if removing his thoughts.<br>"I cannot say" he said, his tone low. Winter had expected as much, there was something going on between them all.  
>"It's the human isn't it?" she noted making the silver headed man sharply turn to look at her. His expression said it all.<br>"I see he is up to his old tricks" Winter speculated, closing her eyes for a moment to try and hide her emotions.  
>"Who?" Jihae questioned, avoiding the question. At this Winter glanced around, double checking they were truly alone here.<br>"The wizard… he has summoned you all here. It all makes sense now…" Winter answered him, whispering her thoughts after identifying who she was on about. Jihae kept silent for a moment, unsure how to respond to this situation but he strangely felt relieved, as if the weight on his shoulders had been lifted.  
>"Is that why you are here?" Jihae asked and Winter froze, debating how she should answer him.<br>"Yes… and no" she simply answered. Jihae could tell she did not want to speak about it and he respected that. He softly stroked her back making her sigh once more, relaxing down. Winter remembered bits and pieces to why she was here; she knew that she had completed her mission… as to what her mission was she did not remember, it was as if the memory itself was removed.

In the two weeks they had spent with one another they understood each other rather well and created a small friendship that didn't feel forced or one sided. Winter was extremely thankful for this, she wanted… needed someone to turn to, especially since her... incident.  
>"Y'know it's kind of funny…" Winter mumbled after a moment of silence. Their eyes connected again for a moment but her eyes fell over his face and hair.<br>"The tales are not true about you…" she stated and Jihae felt himself tensing once again; so she did know about him.  
>"Yes I know about you, I know bits and pieces about all the rabbits" she truthfully explained with a knowing but uneasy look.<br>"Your colouring is very unique, none I have ever witnessed before" she confessed, her eyes going soft. Jihae didn't know what to say, he had never heard words like that from someone before. Heejung had noted him on his beauty once but her attention was soon turned onto someone else, the cat.  
>"It's actually refreshing" she implied with a timid smile, her voice going lower and softer. Jihae smiled at her words but couldn't help but frown… Winter noticed the expression; she knew he wondered how she knew of him and the others. She held in a sigh; when they see her in her other form she would not need to speak the reason, they would know.<p>

They spent the rest of the day there, talking now and again about small, simple things. Winter discovered that Jihae was a hard person to pinpoint; he had no real likes or dislikes. She had questioned about his work but he was brief in replying, noting that it paid well to buy items. She had also braved asking him about Jieun – she already knew about their connection but none of that mattered here in this world.  
>"I'm to serve him but he is slowly pushing me away, I know not what to do" Jihae honestly replied to her question.<br>"Perhaps it is not a bad thing" Winter suggested,  
>"He is getting older and, if my thoughts are correct, he'll have to adapt to this world" she spoke on making Jihae look down at her.<br>"You seem to know a lot about what will happen to us" Jihae assumed and Winter stiffened, forcing herself to relax down a moment later.  
>"Yes… but let us not speak of it now. It is getting late; we should probably return home before Heejung starts to worry" Winter said and Jihae sighed, a little sad he did not get the answer as easily as he imagined. He nodded though, standing himself up and brushing himself off before picking the basket up.<br>"Jihae…" Winter softly breathed making Jihae look down at her.  
>"Thank you for this time out" she continued making the man smile.<br>"Any time My Lady" he replied, his voice smooth.  
>"Please just call me Winter" she requested making the man frown.<br>"I do not deserve a title, I am not worthy of one" she explained and Jihae was tempted to argue this request but decided against it for now. He was certain there was a reason behind it all but he knew he would not get the answer today. With a polite tilt of his head he agreed, turning his gaze ahead as he started to walk in the direction of home.

They were greeted home by Jisoo and Heejung comfortably sitting on the couch, watching the television ahead of them. Jisoo had a victorious grin on his face when he noticed Jihae but it soon fell as he noticed Winter looking blankly at him.  
>"I was beginning to worry; it's good to see you home!" Heejung happily said, looking between Jihae and Winter. Jihae replied to her with a wave of his hand, dismissing the thought of worrying but he glanced down when Winter remained silent. The others seemed not to notice Jihae's look towards the rabbit and Winter was thankful, her ears lifting as she innocently looked at Jihae.<br>"We're going out to the movies in a bit, I don't know what the others have got planned. You don't mind doing dinner tonight do you Jihae?" Heejung went on, glancing at Jisoo with a smile before looking back at the tall, silver haired man.  
>"Not at all My Lady" Jihae replied and Heejung beamed at this, excitement in her eyes. Winter still had her eyes on Jihae, she felt pained knowing that he would not win this 'game' they all played among themselves. She paused in thought; what exactly had they requested if they won?<br>"Guess we'll catch you later" Jisoo hurriedly said, dragging her out the door without even turning the television off. Winter looked just as confused as Jihae did; were they waiting for them to come home just to say that and leave?  
>"It seems we are alone again little one" Jihae murmured, wandering over to the kitchen. He placed the basket onto the floor, wandering to the sink to wash his hands to prepare dinner. Winter scrambled herself out of the basket, wobbling on three legs for several seconds before falling. Jihae heard the light impact and looked down.<br>"Ugh" she sighed, looking up at the man with a frustrated but amused smile.  
>"I guess we are" she added, sitting herself up on the floor. She noticed the small smile appear on Jihae's face as he moved to the fridge, looking into it.<br>"I feel as if I never see the others, as if they are always out" Winter slowly mumbled, her expression concerned. She knew she shouldn't get close to any of them; she would be on her way once she was healed up anyway but she couldn't help but get concerned. She knew it wasn't their usual behaviour to always be out.  
>"It is our best way to deal with it" Jihae replied a moment later, avoiding her eyes as he grabbed some food, walking to the counter to prepare it. He kept his back to Winter.<br>"So you're all going to give up on it just like that?" Winter carefully asked hoping her words didn't offend him. Jihae paused for a moment, his shoulders tense but they fell in defeat.  
>"The others haven't given up hope, they still try but it's hard when Jisoo is with her a lot of the time" Jihae replied. Winter parted her lips to speak but paused, knowing it wasn't right of her to ask if he still chased her down. She wasn't sure why she wanted to know the answer… most probably curiosity.<br>"Do you want anything special tonight?" Jihae asked after a moment, changing the subject. Winter frowned, not catching onto what he meant but when he tilted his head in the direction of the fridge and looked down at her she knew what he meant.  
>"Oh" she breathed.<br>"Uh no… anything is fine thank you" she continued on. Jihae raised an eyebrow at her words.  
>"There's nothing you want?" he asked and the female rabbit shook her head, her ears low.<br>"I don't exactly have a favourite kind of food" she told him,  
>"I learnt to eat what I could find. You tend to forget the taste of things after a while" she truthfully explained and Jihae went quiet, turning back to the food on the counter. Winter wondered if she had been too blunt but she forgot about that thought as Jihae spoke again.<br>"Do you plan to speak around the others?" he asked and Winter wondered for a moment.  
>"I'm not sure" she honestly said and Jihae glanced at her once more, his expression asking her why she remained silent.<br>"I am not much of a speaker" she managed to say. Both knew this was partly true but also partly a lie. Jihae nodded, brushing it off as he returned back to making dinner.

Their conversation was light as they ate together and watched the discovery channel afterwards, the pair of them mostly in their own thoughts. Winter wondered what the next few weeks would bring her. She was slowly recovering, would she be able to leave soon? Would it be as simple as walking out the door? She wished she had the answer to these questions.


	6. Chapter Five

It was crazy how fast the days were going; one moment Winter was in mid-November and now it was the 2nd of December. She shook her head, as if grasping back onto reality. Her days with Jihae had been so enjoyable that she couldn't keep track of time. The only time she realised a day had passed was when he left for work, the loneliness grasping onto her as she sat mostly alone in the house. The others had picked up on this occurring thing but the small black rabbit avoided any interaction with them. It had come to a point where Winter would injure herself just to get away, falling from the couch several times when Heejung had tried to comfort her. Jiwoo and the two cats were generous in leaving her be; the cats didn't care much about her whereas Jiwoo studied her from afar, as if noting her actions down. Winter had even overheard Heejung expressing her worries about this to Jihae the night before when he got in late from work. It was clear Heejung had no idea how little Winter slept, she was probably more sleep deprived than Heejung was herself. At the thought of sleep Winter shivered; she had been having nightmares every time she fell asleep. It was coming to a point where Winter was afraid of sleeping, Jihae picking up on this after she had passed out for the third time in his company. Jihae had questioned why she feared it, he didn't even hide his worry as he asked but Winter didn't have the heart to tell him.  
>"It is best left unknown, it is not worth worrying about" she had told him several times, trying to reassure him but each time she said those words it only seemed to worsen his worry.<p>

Her eyes fell onto Jihae as he walked into sight, pushing his ears into his hat as he set it on his head. She knew he was heading to work this afternoon, it was as if the poor man never had a day off. Jihae glanced down at her, as if trying to answer a question in his head.  
>"Do you want to join me?" he asked aloud and Winters ears lifted. Ever since her trip to the park with Jihae he had tried his best to take her out a few times.<br>"It's going to be a long shoot, apparently the earliest we'll finish is 9pm" Jihae added when he noticed her interest but Winter eagerly nodded at the chance, a smile on her face. It felt good to get out the house again, especially with Jihae. As much as she tried not to get connected to the man she couldn't help but get closer and closer to him, as if an unknown force was pulling them together. She couldn't compare him to anyone she had ever met in her life before, he was so unique and different it almost worried her. Her thoughts drifted as people commented on Jihae as he walked through the city, carrying the basket with the black rabbit in. Some had witnessed the sight before and smiled at the pair while others had not and blankly stared at the duo.

They reached the building where Jieun and Winter had last visited to see Jihae. He walked in, a fixed expression on his face as he walked to the reception desk.  
>"Good afternoon, Mr Hai is waiting for you in Room A2" the woman at the desk greeted, eyeing the man up in lust. Winter was surprised at the lack of response from Jihae; he didn't smile, nod or look annoyed, he simply turned and walked down the hallway. He entered the room two doors down to the left, being extra careful not to bang Winters basket in the process of passing through the door.<br>"Ahh right on time like always!" a male voice called and Winter looked in the direction of the voice noticing it was the same man as before. He noticed the basket and his smile widened even more.  
>"Ohh why hello there again" he cooed, walking towards the pair to look down into the basket. Winter looked up at him with large eyes.<br>"I hope you do not mind me bringing her today. She's well behaved so she won't cause any problems while we shoot" Jihae spoke with a flat tone, getting straight to the point. Winter assumed the man was Mr Hai as he looked back up to Jihae.  
>"No no it's perfectly fine" he assured, pointing to a table.<br>"You can put her over there once you're all prepped and ready. Your clothing is ready for you and I'll call one of the girls in once you're dressed for make-up" Mr Hai seriously said, getting to business. Jihae nodded once to the man before walking to the other side of the room, entering a door.

Winter held in a gasp as they entered the room; rows and rows of clothes were hung up to the right while a large, long table and a few luxury chairs were to the left in front of a large mirror. One clothes rack was pulled out, Jihae's name labelled to the top of it. He set the basket onto the table, wandering over to look at the clothes.  
>"You're safe to talk in here" he lowly said, grabbing the clothing and eyeing them up.<br>"I searched the place for cameras and stuff on my first day here" he explained and Winter sighed in relief.  
>"It's quite a nice place they have here" she noted, looking around with her ears raised. She had only seen this many clothes in luxury homes when she was attending to business in her world. She carefully got herself out of the basket, looking into the mirror with a somewhat disgusted look at herself. She turned her eyes away noticing Jihae looking at her intently.<br>"Well at least my clothing isn't too bad today" Jihae said, turning his eyes away from her. Winter smiled at him, imagining them trying to get him into more revealing clothing. She couldn't blame them though, he was extremely attractive to the human eye… heck he was attractive to the animal eye too as long as they didn't know his story.  
>"I hope you don't intend to watch me as I change" Jihae joked and Winter felt a blush creep onto her face, turning her eyes to her front paws.<br>"I'll spare you this time" she joked back, noticing pictures to the left of the long mirror. She slowly moved herself over to view them, the pictures having both men and women she didn't recognise. She noticed one person though; Jihae was to one side of the collection, as if he was recently added to the collection. Shuffling was heard behind her but Winter was kind enough to respect his privacy, keeping her eyes on the photos. In Jihae's picture he was staring right at the camera, his face stern and focused. His eyes were dull though, no emotion showing on them. It felt odd; Winter was so used to him displaying some sort of emotion it was strange to see.  
>"Quite a collection, colleagues I'm assuming?" Winter asked once most of the shuffling had stopped and a hum was heard next to her making her jump slightly.<br>"I've never met them" Jihae honestly said,  
>"I requested to do my shoots alone. Once or twice I have seen one of them exit the building after their shift but besides from that I don't see them" Jihae explained and Winter frowned, wondering why he chose to do it alone. Jihae hit something to the left of her, a button, and he placed a hand on her back.<br>"I've called the make-up artist, she'll be here in a few minutes" Jihae told her and Winter looked up at him, her ears lowering slightly. He had dressed himself in soft blue clothing, historic high class clothing she guessed. She didn't ask why that theme, she doubted Jihae cared to know.

Winter closed her eyes for a moment, she knew she had to be silent now; she couldn't risk being overheard as the make-up artist approached the room. Jihae took the nearby seat, peering into the mirror for a moment before looking down at her.  
>"Come, let me hold you for a while. The woman is very obsessed with 'adorable animals' and will more than likely try to pet you" Jihae requested, his hand pulling away from her back. He held out both hands, waiting to see if she accepted the offering. Winters eyes softened, glad and thankful that he understood she disliked being touched. She approached him and Jihae carefully wrapped his fingers around her, lifting her to his chest. His embrace was warm and comforting, she had been held this way a few times before when Jieun or Heejung had been persistent with interacting with her. She rested her head on his chest, glancing in the mirror to see Jihae looking down at her with a small smile on his face. Winter lightly sighed without knowing so, closing her eyes. She hoped the make-up artist wouldn't be too long; she didn't want to fall asleep no matter how secure she felt in his arms.<p>

Her small hope was granted just in time as the woman entered the room five minutes later, the crashing of her bag onto the table startling Winter out of her small doze. Winter took note of how little Jihae tried to communicate back with the 30 year old woman, his frustration never showing as the woman continued to talk to them as she worked. The woman was pretty; small round face, pouting red lips, long red hair and intense hazel eyes. Winter couldn't understand how Jihae could simply dismiss her; most if not all his attention was on her. The woman had fussed Winter once, her voice high pitched as if talking to a baby and Winter inched closer to Jihae to avoid her touch as much as possible. The make-up took around half an hour, Winter was surprise how long it took considering she put so little on Jihae's face. Jihae was polite in thanking her once she was done, wordlessly putting Winter into the basket to carry her out. The pair left the room, the make-up artist left in the room to clean up. The photographer grinned, his eyes bright as he looked at Jihae.  
>"You look wonderful" he noted and Jihae remained silent, putting the basket on the table near Mr. Hai. The man grinned, glad to be accompanied by Winter.<br>"You should count yourself lucky, many people have asked to see Jihae in action but none have been lucky to besides me and that young lad that comes" Mr. Hai loudly spoke as he looked down at her, laughing at his own joke as Jihae left her side and went to the throne in front of the camera.  
>"Ah straight to work like usual, wish every model was like you" the man continued on, turning his attention to the camera as he looked through the lens.<p>

Winter could see why the photographer enjoyed shooting Jihae; he worked perfectly and followed every direction without fault. Nothing was ever too much for Jihae and Winter found it extremely hard to take her eyes off him. Some people might consider someone changing positions for an hour or so extremely boring but Winter actually found it interesting and being able to see Jihae working and the shots taken on the screen nearby was a pleasure. She found herself enjoying herself, the room wasn't loud and knowing Jihae was nearby it made her comfortable. She wasn't certain how much time had passed but the mention of her caught her attention.  
>"I've never seen an animal behave so well before. Huh, if my dog acted that way I'd probably get a good price on him" the photographer stated, a laugh escaping his lips. Jihae didn't smile at his joke but simply nodded his head, indicating he was listening to him still.<br>"Say I don't suppose you'd be interested in selling her? I have a seven year old daughter who would love a rabbit" he continued on, stepping away from the camera for a moment to look down at Winter. Jihae wandered over to stand beside him, looking down at her too.  
>"I'm afraid not, she's still not fully recovered anyway" Jihae politely answered, smiling down at Winter as he held his hands out to pick her up out of the basket. Winter accepted him, the tall man holding her close as he showed the photographer her leg.<br>"My gosh, whatever happened to her?" he asked his Jihae shrugged.  
>"I do not know, a friend found her a few weeks back so we've been helping her get better" Jihae honestly said and the photographer looked sad for a moment.<br>"Well I'm glad she's fallen into good hands then, say would you have a few photos done with her? I'll pay extra" he said, his eyes sparkling at the thought of him agreeing. Jihae looked down at Winter, silently asking her for her opinion. She discretely nodded; to the human eye she was just a rabbit anyway.  
>"Does the leg not bother you?" Jihae asked offhandedly and the photographer grinned.<br>"When you hold her you can hardly see" he said, his grin never leaving. Jihae shrugged, walking back in front of the camera with Winter in his arms. Winter didn't mind this happening; she had done a similar thing in the past in her own world… back when she was working for them…


	7. Chapter Six

They were late getting home and had missed out on dinner. Thankfully Heejung had been kind enough to leave food in the fridge for them. They quietly spoke to one another as they ate, sitting on the couch once they were done. Jisoo was sound asleep on one of the couches so Jihae sat himself on the other, setting Winter down next to him. She stretched, glad to be out of the basket for the rest of the night. Wordlessly Jihae transformed next to her, laying himself down nearby.  
>"I think you have yourself a new fan" Jihae lowly noted, hoping not to awaken Jisoo as he mentioned the way the photographer had acted. Winter tiredly smiled, looking across at him.<br>"He would think differently if he saw me in person" she told him and Jihae frowned before brushing the comment off.  
>"You were a natural too, have you done something like that before?" he continued on and Winter shrugged.<br>"I've done it a few times before" she truthfully told him and Jihae hummed.  
>"You seem to know a bit about my past but I know very little about you… what did you used to do?" Jihae asked out of curiosity and Winter tensed, her eyes turning away from him. She lowly sighed, laying her head down as her ears dropped.<br>"My past is… something I am not proud of" she slowly said and it made him tilt his head to the side in confusion. He gently nudged Winters side with his head and she turned her eyes to him, masking her sadness in hopes he would not notice it.  
>"It cannot be that bad" Jihae naturally responded but regretted his words as he saw Winter closed her eyes, letting out a painful sigh as her mask faltered. She knew she couldn't tell him straight up who she had worked for but she wondered if she could explain her reasons behind it and why she was working for them. She remained silent for a moment knowing she'd have to be extremely careful on her wording, hoping not to give away her identity.<br>"I can't tell you straight up what I used to do; I fear you will think differently of me and view me as one of them… I can briefly tell you some things though. My father was a part of it, pretty high up in the ranks too and he was very… loyal to his work. He wanted to be the highest rank possible; he would include himself in anything he could just to look good and be nosy. I have a brother, four years older than me… he was a part of it too" she started to explain, her body falling into a defeated state.  
>"He was my father's pride and joy; he was perfection in his eyes although he lacked the skills. At first I had tried hard to please him, my innocence blinding me when I was younger. As I got older I started to understand how wrong everything was. I was requested to… to do something unacceptable at the age of thirteen…" she continued on and Winter paused, lowly sighing.<br>"Did you do it?" Jihae dared to ask her and the rabbit shook her head.  
>"No, I refused to which… did not please my father" she replied, her words turning dark and bitter.<br>"My father and I never had a good relationship but after that day things got worse. Although I managed to refuse that request I was forced to do harder and harder tasks, most of them life threatening… Although the reasoning behind them was awful I was able to travel far and see new places…" she slowly explained, her eyes falling into his for a moment.  
>"It had its advantages in a weird way. It got me away for a few months or so" she added on.<br>"Could you not simply run away?" Jihae asked and she smiled at him.  
>"You know it's not that simple" she told him, referring to how he couldn't escape his life. Jihae closed his eyes for a moment before nodding, understanding her words yet he felt there was more to it, as if something or someone kept her there.<br>"Is that why you was injured… did one of your outings go poorly?" Jihae asked and she shook her head.  
>"Not quite" she murmured, flinching at the memory. Jihae moved closer to her in a protective manner, gently looking at her in the eyes.<br>"I…" she stammered.  
>"I do not have the heart to speak of it now" she slowly said.<br>"Worry not Winter, tell me when you are ready" Jihae gently said and she was warmed by his response and also surprised.  
>"Do you not think of me differently? It is clear that I… I have done bad in the past" Winter lowly asked in disbelief. She knew she hadn't explained much to him but she believed it was enough to make him unsure of her. Jihae lowly chuckled, a sincere smile on his face as he chose his words carefully.<br>"I'm honoured that you have trusted me with this much. I think you have a kind heart no matter what you have been forced to do in the past" Jihae told her and Winter felt something she had never felt before. She didn't have a word to explain the feeling but it was relieving, as if a small weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  
>"You are too kind Jihae… I sometimes wonder if I truly deserve this" Winter murmured, more to herself than to him. Jihae remained silent knowing that they had spoken enough about her tonight.<p>

After that day Jihae had taken Winter to work with him, both talking to one another whenever they had the chance to. On a few occasions Winter had disappeared from the house, a simple note left detailing she'd be home soon enough. The days were getting colder but the moods of people got better as they merrily sung Christmas songs as they went on their way to places.

Christmas Eve had already arrived and Jihae had a lot of questions; four days ago when they had visited the beach after work something odd had happened. They were both talking quietly to themselves and without warning Winter had fallen into silence mid-sentence. Jihae thought nothing of it at first, noticing an elderly ill looking woman several meters away. He had naturally assumed that Winter fell into silence so they were not overheard but once she left from sight Winter remained silent, as if she had seen a ghost of some sorts. Jihae noticed that Winter continued to stare in the direction where the woman once was, it was as if the rabbit was trying to decide if she should chase after her or not. Jihae had questioned her about her reaction there and then but she just shook her head, revealing nothing. After that Winter had been acting different… distant. Jihae had been working until late again, Winter patiently sitting in the basket as he changed into his normal clothes again. She remained quiet but she was on edge, her body shaking from lack of sleep.  
>"Let us return to the beach" Winter lowly said, breaking the silence between them once Jihae returned to her side. He looked down at her in confusion and also surprise, it wasn't like her to start the conversation since she had seen the woman.<br>"I will explain when we get there" she added on, looking up at him with large eyes. She could see Jihae was extremely exhausted, he had a long shoot today and involved a lot of moving. The man sighed, nodding his head. Winter was thankful he wasn't the type of man to refuse.


	8. Chapter Seven

He picked up the basket with her in and left the modelling building, his strides long as he avoided contact with the moving bodies in the city. Most were already dressed up and drunk, their smiles wide and their words slurred as they enjoyed themselves under the dark night sky. Winter was relieved that she had not requested visiting the park tonight; even that seemed to have people walking in the deep snow here and there. It wasn't long until they reached the beach and Winter was almost afraid to speak. She shivered as a gust of wind crashed against her body and even Jihae shivered.

Although the sea had mostly washed away the snow that had settled there throughout the day it hadn't washed away the snow on the bench nearby. Jihae wiped it off, sitting himself down and setting the basket beside him. Winter immediately got out of the basket, looking straight up at him with a worried but determined expression. She heavily breathed in, preparing herself.  
>"There is a lot I have to explain to you and I wish I had the time and words to do so" she started off, closing her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts.<br>"I don't really understand why I'm going to do this, I am at a point where I can survive alone and it is probably safer to keep silent and forget the past" she went on and looked up at him again.  
>"But you have done so much I… I feel the need to explain myself to you, to show you who I truly am. I- I do not want to lie to someone who has helped me" she slowly said and she jumped down off of the bench, wincing as she landed oddly. Jihae leant forward to grasp her but she signalled him not to, shuffling back a few steps.<br>"I'll understand if you cannot accept me for who I am… was" she went on and she could see the confusion welling up in his eyes. Even she was confused on what she was saying at this point but she knew showing him was better than any words she could produce. She loudly sighed in defeat, tilting her head to the ground for a moment before looking him dead in the eye.  
>"When I came to this world I thought that was my ending, it was what I deserved… but fate had other plans it seems" she told him.<br>"Winter I-" Jihae interjected, his voice low.  
>"No, don't stop me" Winter demanded, no… she begged.<br>"I… thank you for everything you have done for me; I truly do not deserve the kindness I have received. Before I show you I want you to know that you truly are someone special… meeting you has made my endless pain worthwhile, my life feels complete" she said, her voice now low and soft. She stepped back several more steps, her body almost lost in the darkness that surrounded the only lamp shining down on them. One moment there stood a small black rabbit and the next sat a shaking, torn up woman.

A woman around five foot two sat in a defeated form in front of him. Her black clothing with red symbols had several slashes and holes in it, the areas that showed her skin revealed healing wounds and fading bruises. Even her left leg, or what was left of it, had little clothing remaining there; it was as if someone had ripped her leather leggings away to see to the missing leg. Jihae noticed the clothing instantly, the white and red mask covering her face and the two daggers at her hips confirming his suspicions. Her black ears were still flopped down; her fur blending in with her black hair that ran like a river down her body to the tip of her elbows, hiding parts of the straps where a bag sat on her back. Winter shivered under his gaze, unable to move or speak.  
>"You're an assassin" he gasped and Winter shuddered at those words, her eyes cast downwards.<br>"I was not an assassin to be exact but I was a spy among them" she murmured, correcting him.  
>"I was forced into the organisation since a young age and trained until my early teens. I was assigned to assassinate someone at thirteen, it was to be my first kill…" she started to explain in a timid voice, her eyes never leaving her hands that intertwined awkwardly.<br>"That was what I refused to do… I refused to take another one's life, especially an innocent one. The clan was not happy with my refusal, especially my father…" she continued on and she paused, sighing.  
>"After a few months of… 'education' I was assigned as a spy. I was the best they had" she spoke, a harsh painful laugh escaping her body.<br>"I had to be the best to live. I swear half of my missions were traps set by my father for me to fail" Winter bitterly said, shaking her head. She kept silent for a moment, her hands never pausing as she tried to think her words through.  
>"The woman we saw, I know that woman" she continued on for a moment.<br>"Who is she?" Jihae quietly asked and Winter flinched at his voice, there was no softness in it… it was dead, blank. Winter closed her eyes as she thought of the woman; greying hair, dull brown eyes and sickly pale skin to match her fragile form.  
>"She was the reason I never left, never ran away. S-she is my mother… was my mother. I did it to protect her… to save her from those monsters…" she answered him. Winter heard shuffling in front of her and she placed her hands on her mask, bowing her head down as she bit back her emotions. Winter remained very still, her emotions overrunning her senses as she assumed he had left her, walked away like any sane living being would.<p>

She had expected too much from him; was it too soon or would the timing never be right to tell someone this..? She decided it was probably both, her heart panging in pain. How could anyone receive information like this and simply laugh it off with a big smile and accept them with wide, open arms. She was doomed from the day she was born, a simple pawn to be played with. A light sigh was heard in front of her and something touched her hands… someone…  
>"Do-don't touch me…" Winter instantly whispered, pulling her hands away from her mask. Her hands were shaking, her whole body was shaking… she had experienced fear many times but this seemed the worst. She always knew how they would react to her but Jihae… she had no clue how Jihae would respond.<br>"Winter" Jihae's voice softly spoke in front of her and she shook her head, as if trying to remove the slimmer of hope that he was still before her. Jihae spoke her name again, braving to place his hands on her shaking ones. She fought his touch for a moment but stopped when his firm grip never left. He softly rubbed her small hands, trying to comfort her.  
>"W..why are you still here? Aren't you meant to be disgusted… afraid of me?" Winter weakly whispered, knowing tears were starting to fall from her eyes. She was disgusted by herself and by her past… if she could she would run away from herself. Why hadn't Jihae gone? Without a word one of Jihae's hands left hers, Winter feeling his touch again when he lightly grasped onto the bottom of her mask. Winter didn't stop him as he slowly pushed the mask upwards, the item disguising her features sitting on the top of her head as he gazed at her face. Winter knew he could see the tears falling down her round, pale face and she made no attempt to wipe them away. She felt his hand cup her face, lifting it up. Reluctantly Winter found herself raising her eyes, her ocean blue eyes falling into his. He kept his gaze with her; it was as if he was searching her soul, putting together the pieces to a broken puzzle that still missed pieces.<br>"From the small time we've got to know one another I know you have a good heart… you've overlooked my flaws so why shouldn't I do the same in return for you?" Jihae quietly said and Winter's eyes closed for a second before looking him back in the eye.  
>"It's different though…" Winter protested but she was silenced by Jihae placing a finger on her lips, his touch grazing over the scar on her upper lip to the right.<br>"How did your mother end up here? She is not like us" Jihae asked and Winter parted her lips for a moment, surprised in the change of subject.  
>"I… she… she got here a similar way we did, the wizard" she told him.<br>"I don't remember exactly what the deal was between him and I but it worked and I managed to get her here safely" she continued on but she fell silent.  
>"Why did you not approach her?" Jihae pressed, his brow rising for a moment.<br>"She does not remember me or her past life… I asked for her animal features to be removed and her memories to be changed. I've watched her from afar, she seems happier now" Winter quietly said, her lips trembling at the reminder. She knew it was cruel of her to take away her memories and throw her into a different world with little clue to what had happened to her but after watching her for a while she was confident she had done the right thing.  
>"I don't want to ruin that for her" she added onto it. Jihae glanced at her leg and her torn up clothing, trying to put more pieces together.<br>"Is this the price you paid for doing that?" he quietly asked and Winter awkwardly looked away, giving no response.

Gently Jihae pulled her into an embrace and although Winter was tense at first she embraced him back, comfortable showing her vulnerability in front of him.  
>"How did you end up here?" Jihae softly asked and Winter sighed.<br>"It's a long story…" she warned him and she felt Jihae nod his head.  
>"We can speak of it another time, come let us get home. You're freezing" Jihae said and Winter was relieved. They parted from one another, Jihae standing himself up as Winter transformed back into a rabbit.<br>"Will you tell the others?" Jihae quietly asked as he picked up Winter, stepping back to grab the basket. Instead of placing Winter back in the basket he kept a hold of her in one hand, keeping her close to his chest.  
>"I do not think so, I want to start anew… plus I do not want to panic them, they will certainly know who I am based on my clothing. I am strong enough to use my human form now, I will be able to move on and live my own life soon" Winter replied after a moment of thinking.<br>"That is probably wise" Jihae hummed to her answer, a tiny smile on his face but it seemed forced, as if parts of her words had made him wonder something. Winter relaxed into him as she ignored it, thankful for once in her life someone accepted her for who she truly was and not for someone she was supposed to be.


	9. Chapter Eight

Christmas was something Winter had never experienced; she had heard stories about it when out and about so she kind of understood what the whole deal was concerning it. Winter had slept the night away pretty peacefully; for once it wasn't filled with the same nightmare that had been plaguing her for months on end. Jiyeon had awoken her that morning, the cat loudly talking with Jisoo. Winter figured the orange cat was trying to talk him into going out with him but Jisoo remained stubborn, refusing his offer. Jihae and Jieun had left 20 minutes ago, deciding to go on a walk together. They had both offered Winter to join them but she declined, insisting that they needed to spend some time together. She had no idea what happened to Jiwoo, he was probably out on some crazy meeting or something.  
>"Oh… where is everyone?" Heejung had asked when entering the living room, blindly looking around and only noticing Winter sitting on the couch. The black rabbit looked towards the door, sighing before turning to face her.<br>"Jihae and Jieun have gone out together to the park, Jiyeon has gone out to meet with people. I don't know what happened to Jiwoo but Jisoo said he'll be back soon" Winter quietly replied and Heejung was surprised to hear her speak for the first time. She managed to recover herself, closing her gaping mouth.  
>"Oh I… I was hoping to have everyone together to bake a cake…" Heejung told her, her voice sad. Winter frowned at this,<br>"We do not have Christmas in our world, I guess the others did not know it is a special time of year for you humans" Winter explained as she watched Heejung walk over to the kitchen to make breakfast.  
>"Do you want anything?" Heejung called and Winter got up, leaving the couch with difficulty and awkwardly hobbled over to the kitchen.<br>"No thank you, I ate with Jihae and Jieun early this morning" she politely told her, her ears picking up as she watched Heejung wash her hands and start to pull ingredients out of the fridge.  
>"So how come you're not out?" Heejung casually asked, looking down at the black rabbit who watched her with slight interest. Winter wiggled her left hind leg with a suggestive expression.<br>"I can hardly walk as it is… plus I have no crutches or clothing to enjoy the day as a human" Winter told her and she forced a laugh, sitting herself down on the floor. Heejung paused as she looked away thoughtfully, rubbing her chin in the process.  
>"Would you say you're my size?" Heejung asked and Winter tilted her head to the side.<br>"Pardon?" she replied in confusion.  
>"If you think you're around my size you can borrow some clothing. I'm afraid I can't help you with the crutches" Heejung suggested and Winter kept quiet as she thought for a moment.<br>"Are you sure?" Winter softly asked and Heejung brightly smiled, nodding her head.  
>"Thank you Heejung, I owe you one" Winter softly said when she noticed the motion from Heejung.<br>"It's no big deal, take what you want from my closet. Hey if you want you can bath in peace seeing that Jiyeon is out… if you need any help you can just call me" Heejung chirped and Winter thanked her again, heading to her bedroom.

Winter had never stepped foot into Heejung's room before but she wasn't surprised by how plain it looked; everything there served a purpose whether it was books, a vanity table or the painting set on one side of her table. Carefully Winter transformed, awkwardly taking off her mask and glancing at the door she had shut behind her. She doubted Heejung would enter without knocking first in case Winter had decided against taking a bath. Winter tried to balance herself in a kneeling position as she opened the wardrobe doors, peering into it with a questioning expression. Her clothing was well organised and mostly smart dress. Winter assumed most of her clothing was average price – nothing cheap and nothing extremely expensive besides one or two smart dresses. Winter wasn't certain what she should wear but she decided on some dark trousers, a plain white top and a blue jumper. She frowned when she couldn't find any hats… she'd have to think later about how to hide her ears. For now she knew she would be safe leaving them showing around the house. With a shrug of her shoulders she pulled off her backpack, a grimace on her face as she tugged at the tough latches to open it. She ignored the small jewellery boxes and purse that sat at the bottom of it and pulled out two hard cases. As she did that her fingers rubbed against soft fabric making her pull it out. It was a deep blue thick ribbon she had used a few times on missions to hide her ears. A timid smile crossed her lips remembering it was a gift from her mother; although it pained Winter to force her ears under the ribbon when she made it into the headband and even more when she skilfully twisted it with her ears to make it into a bow she nodded her head, knowing this would have to do if she planned to go outside. A bitter expression crossed Winter's face as she pulled the daggers from her waist, carefully placing them in their boxes. She pulled off the mask on her head, putting all the items into the backpack. She didn't want Heejung seeing them when she headed to the bathroom… as for her current clothing she decided she could probably get away with wearing it. Winter frowned wondering how she would get to the bathroom in the first place. Her expression hardened, shoving the clothing she had taken from the wardrobe into the bag, half of the jumper sticking out of the top. She slung the bag back onto her back, shutting the wardrobe doors as she awkwardly crawled to the door. She opened the door, quickly transforming to hobble across the room and into the bathroom. Winter sighed in relief as she transformed once again, shutting the bathroom door and locking it shut. She slowly pulled the bag off her back again, a joint or two clicking in protest as she pulled the new clothes out. Even though Jihae had been kind in bathing her as a rabbit she was thankful to bath as a human for once, the feeling between the two much different. She turned on the tab, her body relaxing as she listened to the sound of running water. A small, timid smile crossed her lips as she prepared to take a bath.

Winter was surprised to see Jihae back without Jieun as she left the bathroom in rabbit form. She heard Jisoo and Heejung talking among themselves in the kitchen but she paid them no attention as she hobbled across to where Jihae sat on the couch with a smile. She thanked him as the man grasped her with his large hands, setting her on the couch next to her. She glanced over into the kitchen where the other two were now looking in her direction and with an indifferent hidden look Winter transformed herself, her eyes quickly landing on her own hands.  
>"Thank you again Heejung for the clothing, I hope I haven't chosen anything you wouldn't want me to" Winter politely said, keeping her eyes fixed on her hands.<br>"No no it's fine!" Heejung chirped in reply. The room was quiet for a moment and Winter felt herself tensing, slightly uncomfortable at the situation. Jisoo murmured something, Winter didn't quite make out what but Heejung and Jisoo went back to talking, the bangs of cooking items being heard. Winters eyes stayed open as Jihae placed one of his hands onto hers, trying to comfort her. She looked up into his eyes, relaxing down as he gave her a strong, supportive smile.  
>"I've got something for you" Jihae quietly said, his hand leaving hers as he stood up and walked forward towards the door leading out, grasping something Winter never noticed.<br>"Crutches… but how did-" Winter whispered in surprise and Jihae's warm smile paused her sentence as he handed them to her.  
>"Would you do me the honour of accompanying me out?" he asked, his voice soft. Winter sat there stunned for a moment; what was he planning? Weakly Winter nodded, awkwardly standing herself up with the help of the crutches. She was slightly shaky at first, finding it hard to find her balance.<br>"Rabbit do you think that's a good idea?" Jisoo asked from across the room and Winter looked across to the cat who was watching them both with questioning eyes.  
>"I'll be fine Jisoo, worry not" Winter quickly responded and the cat turned his nose up.<br>"I wasn't worried" he sharply replied, his eyes defensively looking at Winter. Winter remained quiet at his response and watched as Jihae walked across the room to the door, opening it and walking back to Winter. Carefully he loosely linked his left arm with her right arm as he helped her walk out of the door, leaving the house without another word.


	10. Chapter Nine

It was surprising how quiet the streets were; most if not all people were inside with their families celebrating the day together. They both remained quiet as they slowly walked down the snow covered path, Winter easily getting accustomed to the crutches.  
>"This is not the first time you've used them" Jihae noted as if reading her thoughts and Winter smiled, lighting her face up with some force.<br>"No, I've been in this situation a few times though I've always had two legs before" Winter responded with a joke, keeping the moment light-hearted as she tried to forget the past. Winter noticed the sympathetic glance Jihae gave her and she gently laughed, her mood brightening up as she was glad to be outside today instead of being stuck inside. She always disliked being kept inside; it left her struggling to breathe, as if the walls were constantly closing in on her. It felt like a cage…  
>"Don't look so gloom Jihae, anyway how did you get a hold of these?" Winter continued on, changing the subject and although Jihae noticed her intention he didn't refuse it.<br>"It's surprising what props you can find at work, they didn't mind me asking to take them" he informed her and a blush graced Winter's cheeks.  
>"You didn't need to get me them. How did you know I was willing to accept them?" Winter softly said and it was now Jihae's turn to smile.<br>"I didn't know, I just hoped" he said with a small laugh and Winter's eyes glistened in amusement.  
>"So tell me, what do you have in mind? Are we to meet with Jieun?" Winter asked in curiosity and Jihae looked ahead, steering her in the direction of the city.<br>"We'll be meeting with Jieun later… as for now we're going shopping" Jihae said as he smiled down at her and Winter frowned.  
>"I haven't had time to sell my items for money yet" Winter confessed, thinking of the rare jewellery that remained in her bag. Jihae seemed unfazed by this as the smile remained on his face.<br>"Worry not I have enough money" he comforted her and Winter frowned even more.  
>"Jihae you-" Winter started to argue, not wanting him to spend money on her but he laughed silencing her.<br>"It's technically your money, it's the extra money work paid me for allowing you to model with me" Jihae told her and Winter felt parted. She didn't feel she earned the money but she knew Jihae wasn't going to change his mind so she sighed, shaking her head.  
>"Thank you" was the only words Winter could think to say.<p>

The city was busier than the streets they walked down; odd men and women raced around to different shops while a few lonesome people sat quietly in restaurants and coffee shops.  
>"It is surprising they keep the shops open, from what I've heard Christmas is a huge thing" Jihae lowly said and Winter nodded in agreement, reading the expressions of people who she walked by without being noticed. There was a mix of emotions among those who were in the city today, some she wished she didn't notice.<br>"I guess it is a place for people to be when they have nothing to celebrate" Winter quietly said as she spotted an extremely glum looking old man through a coffee shop window. Jihae looked across to where the man sat and looked away, not wanting his mood to drop.  
>"They are not much different from us" Winter continued to talk on and Jihae raised an eyebrow at her misplaced words.<br>"They live a very similar life to us though our way of living is more… medieval from what I can tell" Winter slowly explained, her words low as she tried not to be overheard from people passing by.  
>"Although it is questionable if it is truly balanced there is a lot more equality among the people no matter their gender or class… well more equality than our world" she continued on but she found herself pausing when she noticed a shadow crossing Jihae's expression.<br>"Forgive me" Winter quickly added, her eyes casting to the floor as she continued to swing in time with her crutches to keep walking forward.  
>"I did not mean to offend" she softly said and she felt Jihae's spare hand land on her arm linked with his, gently rubbing it in a tender way.<br>"None taken" she heard him murmur back but she found it hard to believe his words.  
>"Y'know" Winter mumbled after a few moments a silence, the pair of them wandering into a clothes shop. She remained silent as they passed a few people in the store, heading straight to the women's clothing. Once she was comfortable with no one else being in hearing range did she continue to speak.<br>"There are worse things that could have happened then being silver. Black is considered an omen, a taboo among my peers. They say that the soul and spirit is a never ending pit of darkness, a rabbit to have the colour of mine is destined to the darker side of life" she said as quietly as she could, fumbling clothing as she passed tops and dresses. Now and again she would pause to eye up a piece of clothing but it was clear that her mind was elsewhere for the moment.  
>"They also say they are as pure as the white coloured rabbits" Jihae noted, as if knowing that information already. At the mention of the white rabbits she froze, her brows furrowing a few times before finally grabbing onto a dress of her choice and eyeing it up.<br>"It is strange how the prince is not like any other" Winter offhandedly murmured.  
>"He has been lucky" Jihae said, unsure of where the topic was going. Winter's eyes fell onto his, her lips twitching as if wondering how to voice her next words.<br>"Or sheltered. Your protection over him does not go unnoticed" she finally managed to say but Jihae knew she wanted to say more.  
>"I have seen many horrors as I'm sure you have, I wish to protect him and his innocence" Jihae said and with those words Winter saw a barrier fall from his eyes, as if one of his protective layers had fallen down for her. A weak smile fell on her lips but she couldn't help but feel parted.<br>"I know that look" Jihae softly said with a sigh.  
>"You too wonder if it is a good thing or a bad thing. Many years I have pondered if I should protect him from the world or should I educate him in a hope of a better future" Jihae continued on and Winter was thankful that he felt the same way she did.<br>"I doubt there is ever a right way around it" Winter honestly said, her eyes turning back onto the dress. Winter wanted to say more on the topic but with people wandering closer by she put the thought to one side, placing a smile on her face as she looked back at Jihae.  
>"What do you think?" she asked, hinting towards the dress. Jihae too placed a smile on his face, knowing that he was being watched by people who noticed and recognised him.<br>"I think it would look wonderful on you" he honestly said and without another word he took the dress from her grasp, carrying it for her as they continued to shop for clothing.

Several hours later and they were sat in a small, empty café with only two other customers. One man sat at a tiny round table with a cup of coffee at the side of his laptop. He dressed in a black suit, a high class man Winter assumed, and his brows were constantly furrowed as he worked hard on a project. At the other side of the café sat a woman… no, sat her mother. A look of wonder, confusion and loneliness was spread across her face as she tried her best to focus on the book in her hands. It was a book based on animals, rabbits to be exact Winter noticed and she softly smiled to herself knowing although she had lost her memories and her past she was now in a safe place. She was dressed snuggly in thick clothing, Winter always remembered her disliking the cold. Winter was similar to her although she was long used to the cold, endless nights out in the rain and snow making her strong and able to withstand the temperature.  
>"We can leave if you are uncomfortable" Jihae whispered from beside her and Winter jumped, falling out of her thoughts and back into reality.<br>"No it is quite alright, Jieun is due to arrive at any moment anyway" Winter quickly responded, giving him a strong smile. Jihae placed his hand onto hers in support, his eyes questioning if she was truly ok with being here.  
>"Honestly Jihae it is fine, I am just relieved and thankful that she is safe" Winter softly told him and Jihae nodded, relaxing down as he looked at her. Winter turned her gaze away from the woman, taking a deep breath as she looked at the menu in front of them. They had agreed to wait for Jieun before ordering but she still hadn't decided what she was having, to tell the truth she didn't really care what she had.<p>

It wasn't long until Jieun arrived and the three of them enjoyed a small meal together. Winter wasn't all too surprised about Jihae choosing this café after spending some time there, it was extremely quiet and people kept to themselves rather than being obnoxious. Winter enjoyed the company of the two, even with Jieun being lost in his thoughts most of the time. Winter wasn't sure whether she should envy his perception on the world or not; he seemed so free and carefree but while in his company she couldn't help but analyse him. There was an odd spark in his eye and his manner and it unsettled her, making her curious and weary to what triggered it. She would figure it out one day but for now she would enjoy her time here while she could.


	11. Chapter Ten

Christmas was long over and Winter found herself in mid-January, longingly looking through the days newspaper. She wasn't one to read much, her time often limited when she lived in Grass, but she had come to a point in the human world where she needed to.  
>"What are you looking for?" Jieun had asked when sitting next to her, a curious expression on his face. At his words Heejung and Jihae glanced over, both of them also curious about the odd behaviour. The other animals were already out for the day, their actual whereabouts unknown to them all.<br>"I'm looking for a job" Winter confessed to them, flipping over another page as her eyes slowly scanned the writing in hope.  
>"Why?" Jieun asked in a confused tone and Winter paused, placing a finger where she stopped reading to look at the young prince. His red sparkling eyes showed his lack of knowledge and innocence; Winter doubted the young prince had ever done a single thing that required effort.<br>"I will need money to rent or buy a home of my own. I cannot stay here for much longer" Winter explained to him, her reasoning made as plain and simple as possible for him to understand.  
>"Oh there's no need to rush! I don't mind you staying here" Heejung politely objected but she frowned, her head tilting to the side.<br>"Plus it's not like you need to settle down here, won't you be returning home at some point?" Heejung continued on but she regretted her words as the atmosphere around them became tense and still. Winter painfully closed her eyes at the mention of 'home', something she had been trying to forget since arriving here. She looked across to the human, forcing a smile on her lips.

Winter didn't want to explain how she had come to this world or why, she had only entrusted Jihae with most of the information. She didn't dislike or distrust Heejung, it was more the fact that she wanted to start anew and forget that the past was something that had once existed.  
>"I will not be returning to my world, I am to live among the humans" Winter finally managed to say in reply, wanting the topic to drop and move along but Heejung was oblivious to the silent request.<br>"But what of your family and friends?" she asked in curiosity and instead of Winter glaring at her in annoyance she just deeply sighed.  
>"I have none" she blankly claimed, giving no more information about her background and Heejung finally got the hint, knowing the topic was off limits.<br>"What about you two then, are you going to stay?" Heejung slowly asked when turning her attention to the two males. Winter was also slightly curious to how they would respond to her question; Winter already knew what their outcomes would be. A look of sorrow passed onto Jihae's face at the question and Winter noticed the man and even the young prince bite back their feelings.  
>"It seems that the winner has already been chosen… we will be staying here" Jihae slowly said.<br>"Winner? Winner to what? That game you spoke of when transforming?" Heejung asked in confusion.  
>"Eddie I want to go home…" the young prince quietly whined at the mention of their future and Jihae shook his head, his head tilting downwards in defeat.<br>"So the winner gets to go back to your world?" Heejung worked out, hoping she was correct.  
>"Their wish will come true" Jieun stated and Heejung looked between the two male rabbits, letting out a frustrated sigh as she turned her attention back to Winter.<br>"Can you explain any of this? I've asked before but it's a breach of their contract…" Heejung asked out of frustration but Winter offhandedly shrugged.  
>"I'm sorry Heejung but I can't do that. Even if I am not a part of the game I am unable to explain. It would put me in a lot of trouble and possibly cause issues for the others" Winter honestly answered told her and Heejung deeply sighed, clenching her hands.<br>"Did you have to play a game before you came here?" Heejung asked throwing Winter off guard for a moment but she was quick to recover, knowing she was trying another way of gaining information.  
>"Not to come here but around a year ago I did" Winter carefully said, only giving her a small response.<br>"So you won then? Was your wish to come here?" Heejung continued to push but she fell silent as Winter sharply looked at her deep in the eye, her eyes narrowing. At this point Heejung knew she had pushed her limits and crossed the invisible line. The black rabbit turned her eyes away from her, grabbing her crutches before standing up.  
>"I know this is very confusing for you and I'm sorry I can't explain more" Winter emotionlessly spoke, her words plain and clear.<br>"You should not chase for answers, it will lead you down a dark and dangerous road" Winter advised her, moving towards the door to leave the apartment.  
>"I need some fresh air, I'll be back later tonight" she told them. With some difficulty Winter slipped through the door, leaving the three in the room without another word.<br>"Did I upset her?" Heejung worried asked but she already knew the answer as Jihae grasped onto his hat, fixing it onto his head to hide his ears away.  
>"No it is fine, I'll go and find her to make sure she's safe" Jihae said, a protective tone lingering in his voice. Heejung awkwardly nodded before watching him leave.<br>"Eddie cares…" Jieun murmured.  
>"What?" Heejung replied, half listening to him.<br>"Eddie cares about her…" Jieun spoke again with a thoughtful look. Heejung assumed that the young prince was joyful about it by the small smile on his lips but it didn't quite match his eyes that seemed distance and slightly sad. Heejung had asked what the young rabbit meant but it was a lost cause, Jieun was already lost in thought as he looked out of the window.

A smile of relief spread across Jihae's face as he finally caught up with the hobbling woman. To little surprise he found her sitting herself down at the park, a look of confusion and pain on her face. Jihae could tell she was fighting a battle in her head, neither side winning to settle her.  
>"You should not have come" Winter said but when she looked up at the man who now stood in front of her she wore a warm, welcoming smile.<br>"I'm glad you're here though" Jihae heard her say as she patted the space besides her. The man took a seat next to her, a smile of his own on his face as he slung an arm around her shoulders. Winter instantly scooted closer to him, feeling the body warmth between them. She lowly breathed out, being next to Jihae made her feel relaxed and comfortable.  
>"I'm sorry for leaving" Winter apologised as she rested her head on his shoulder. Jihae stiffened at the motion for a moment, his mind protesting but his heart felt at ease making him accept her.<br>"The reminder of wishes just… made me feel uncomfortable" she confessed to him, wanting to open up to him. Jihae hummed in agreement and support, hoping it would encourage her to keep talking and put trust into him.  
>"I have been on both ends" she started,<br>"I have both won and lost" Winter admitted. Jihae was surprised by her words, she had never mentioned anything more than wishing her mother's safety.  
>"I have also seen others have their wishes granted and dismissed" Winter found herself saying without a pause.<br>"How so?" Jihae pondered aloud and she weakly looked at him; one side wanting to explain to him and the other side wanting to flee and forget.  
>"You see many things as a spy and a…" Winter tried to answer but she sighed.<br>"To see the wizard as often as I did and watch him interact with those who visited him was… It was overwhelming" Winter revealed. Jihae wasn't sure how to react to her words… how did her and the wizard cross paths so many times?  
>"May I ask what you won and lost?" Jihae gently questioned, wanting to understand her.<br>"You already know what I won" Winter suggested,  
>"What I lost…?" she breathed, her body starting to tremble.<br>"I lost a friend, a choice… part of my memory…" she informed him. Although Jihae wasn't entirely sure what she was on about he pulled her even closer to him, the rhythm of her heart being felt on his side.  
>"Jihae…" she mumbled, her eyes set onto his. She kept her eyes meaningful as she spoke,<br>"I hope your wish is worth the trouble it may bring" Winter told him. Jihae was taken aback by her words, shocked even. He was confused to why she said that; surely having your wish granted was a good thing… right?


	12. Chapter Eleven

A bitter sweet smile fell on Winters lips as she looked off into the distance, trying to put her memories into place. She hated speaking of this, even the mere thought put her on edge.  
>"Although the task may not be simple the wish itself may seem worth it. Even I thought that when agreeing to it" she said, preparing to tell him one of her many dark secrets.<br>"I do not remember what my task was but I had completed it and got my mother here safely, I thought everything would be well afterwards… oh how wrong I was" she started, a breath of distaste escaping afterwards.  
>"Not even a week afterwards and I was in chains. For months on end I was caged like an animal and tortured. I had seen the cruelty of torture but to experience it from my own clan… the despair and pain left me in the wizards company for most of my time there. It was during then did I witness the gain and loss people received from him" she told him, never once turning to look him in the eye. A shiver trailed down her spine making Winter flinch.<br>"I watched as people wished for things based on their greed and guilt" she continued on, taking a moment to take a breath of air.  
>"That is why I arrived here in such a mess, before arriving here I was still stuck in that cage" she spat, shaking her head.<br>"Winter I'm sor-" Jihae softly said,  
>"That's not the worst part" she confessed, cutting him off in his words.<br>"Someone I know… knew… made a wish with the wizard" she quietly said, her eyes beginning to water as pain and agony scratched at her heart.  
>"Anna was her name, she had been a friend of mine for many years but had ended up imprisoned around the same time I had. They believed she was a part of my mother's disappearance… she… she requested my release to this world" Winter told him, her words becoming short and unbalanced.<br>"What was the price?" Jihae asked but deep in his heart he already knew the answer.  
>"Her life" she answered him, the tears building in her eyes finally rolling down her cheeks.<br>"I… I still can't believe she wished me to come here instead of herself. I did not deserve a second chance…" Winter told him, attempting to rub away the tears that stubbornly fell. A shiver ran through Jihae's body as he took in the information, he couldn't believe a life was lost to ensure that Winter would arrive here.  
>"Do you wish her to be alive again?" Jihae found himself asking, his own past and memories plaguing him.<p>

The mention of death, the wizard and wishes reminded Jihae of why he was here. The time he had spent with Winter had allowed him to push the thoughts and nightmares away but with the topic being so close to his past he couldn't keep them at bay anymore.  
>"No" Winter quietly said making him look at her wide eyed and surprised.<br>"Anna asked that I did not wish her back. I didn't understand why she said such a thing at the time but now I do…" Winter told him as she braved to look him in the eye.  
>"She wanted her sacrifice to have a meaning behind it, to make an impact. She has suffered enough, to bring her back to a world that treated her so harshly would only harm her further. What happened during her life would never erase – she would still be hunted for her 'crimes' and she would still be haunted by the past, present and future" Winter informed him, a weak smiling appearing on her pale lips.<br>"So I'll do the next best thing I can for her" Winter claimed making Jihae raise an eyebrow at her.  
>"I'll make her proud and live my remaining days as best as I can" she told him, the smile still on her face. Jihae was warmed by her words but he also found himself questioning his wish and beliefs. Was he doing wrong?<br>"Something is on your mind" Winter stated, watching the silver rabbit closely. She pushed her thoughts and emotions on hold as Jihae rubbed his temples in confusion. Winter knew she didn't have to tell him that she was there for him, her hand grabbing his was enough to show her thoughts.

Winter watched as the man crumbled next to her, his posture slumping as he opened up and showed his vulnerable side.  
>"Do you remember when a woman committed suicide in Grass?" Jihae quietly asked and Winter instantly knew who he was on about.<br>"She was meant to marry the oldest son of the Carrot family if I remember correctly" Winter informed him, thinking back at the reports the assassins would give when spying on people.  
>"Yes that's right" Jihae blankly confirmed.<br>"I remember that her parents did not approve of you and the feelings you had for one another" Winter slowly said,  
>"One of the assassins was assigned to watch over you both" she added on to explain her knowledge. Jihae wasn't surprised by that reveal, he knew people had spied and watched him since birth even in the darkest of shadows.<br>"Do… do I have the right to love another?" Jihae asked. The question was short and simple, as if he had been wondering it for quite some time. His eyes met hers, there was so much pain and guilt in there it almost made Winter flinch away.  
>"I am a sinner, I may not even have the right to love someone anymore" Jihae continued on as he looked away to his own feet, trying to search for an answer.<br>"I was the reason why she died, it is my entire fault" Jihae sourly said, his voice shaking. At these words Winter softly rubbed his hand, giving him the comfort he needed to be freed from his inner pain.  
>"It was no one's fault, it was her choice that drove her to it" Winter quietly said.<br>"Dwelling in your own guilt does not do you well" she told him but she read him well, understanding why this topic was so important.  
>"You wish to bring her back don't you… that is why you are here" Winter slowly said after a moment of silence, everything seeming to fall into place. Jihae nodded and Winter sadly sighed, embracing the man with her shaking body.<br>"Sometimes we think bringing them back is kindness, will make everything better… make the pain go away…" Winter spoke.  
>"But we'll never forget what has passed before. Although it goes against our feelings and hearts we just have to move on and honour them" Winter wisely said with a sad smile.<p>

Jihae felt as if a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he felt energised and relieved. He had never spoken to anyone about this let alone his own personal feelings.  
>"Thank you Winter" Jihae softly said, his eyes closing as he enjoyed her embraced.<br>"It was no problem… always know that I am here for you. This is a new world for us Jihae and we are here for a reason, even if the reason isn't clear to us yet" Winter gently claimed.  
>"I've been sent here to live a new life and you? You are here to decide if you'll chase your wish down and face the outcome of it or you are here to accept your past, release that guilt within and learn to love again. If anyone deserves to love then it is you, everything you have gone through would lead many down the wrong road but you… you are strong, loyal and protective. You did not let it corrupt you… I admire that" Winter honestly said. Jihae took in her words knowing that he'll have to choose a path and choose it soon. As he looked across at her he couldn't help but feel as if his heart had already chosen a path.<p> 


End file.
